BETROTHED!
by Lady Lucy AJ 4ever
Summary: What if Lord Alan didn't die and betrothed Alanna to Gary while she was still Prince Jonathon's squire? Things get very jumbled up! Is Alanna going to get through this without anyone discovering her secret! ;)
1. The badwonderful news

A/N: Hey ppls I'm back with a new fic. Tell me what ya think of it! Is it better than 'First Loves'? I told you in that one that I'd be writing dis. I just didn't expect it to come out this quickly. Anyway ENJOY!!!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
BETROTHED!!!  
  
Set just after Alanna's 17th birthday~  
  
It was a sunny afternoon and Alanna was felling quite giddy. It was only a couple of weeks past Alanna's 17th birthday (A/N: and you know what happened then so I don't have to explain it!). She was rather happy about the affair she was having between her and Jon. Alanna hadn't been this happy for ages.  
  
But her mood soon changed when Timon (A/N: I think that was his name if it wasn't, tell in the reviews and don't yell at me), Duke Gareth's servant came to call her to for a little talk discussing family businesses. Alanna had no idea what it was about. She thought perhaps Duke Gareth might have found out that she was a girl. If it was, she was going to be in big trouble. She didn't know for sure if that was what he wanted to talk to her about but she soon found out.  
  
Timon led her to Duke Gareth's office and knocked on the door.  
  
"Please enter Squire Alan, Timon you may leave" came the reply from the other side of the door  
  
"Yes you Grace," said Timon and left, Alanna gulped, opened the door and walked in  
  
To her surprise instead of anger on his face, he was smiling  
  
"Your Grace, what do I have the pleasure of—" but she was cut short  
  
"No need to be that formal Squire Alan, after all we are going to be family soon" said Duke Gareth still smiling while Alanna just looked confused, "I am aware that you have absolutely no idea of what I'm blabbing about and that is why you are here, I shall explain"  
  
"Please do your Grace, for I fear that if this conversation goes on any longer without a proper explain I might faint not that I'm not happy about being part of your family, it's just that it has come as such a surprise to me"  
  
"Say no more young Trebond, I shall explain properly. I am sorry if I've confused you. Now let's started from the beginning, please take a seat, this may take some time" said Duke Gareth while Alanna still looked utterly confused  
  
"Your father and I had a meeting the other day, I'm not that surprised that he's still at his books but we have made an arrangement, I have just been informed that he has a daughter. I never new such a thing, it's just been mentioned to me right now. As I said we made an arrangement, a betrothal actually. My son Gary is to be married to your sister, Lady Alanna of Trebond. Isn't it wonderful?!"  
  
Alanna turned pale at the mention of her name especially when it was in the same sentence as the word 'married'.  
  
But Duke Gareth paid no attention to the look of sheer horror on her face as he continued, "Your father kept on saying that he only had two children, a girl and a boy. But I knew better, a forgetful old thing he is. Couldn't even remember how many children he's got, horrible! But all the same, the betrothal has been made and Gary shall be told of this when he returns from his trip to Naxen. You father and I still need to arrange the day of the wedding and the day of the meeting. By the way, your father sent a letter to you explaining about this personally, now where did I put that letter, oh here it is!" Duke Gareth handed a letter to her sealed with the Trebond coat of arms.  
  
"Thank your Grace, would you please excuse me for my rude behavior but may I go back to my room to read the letter for I am in shock but I'm pleased to tell you that I am happy to be part your family" asked Alanna not meaning a word of it  
  
"You may be excused Squire Alan and you do not have to carry on with you afternoon lessons for it is nearly time for dinner and it would only be a waste of time"  
  
"Thank you your Grace" said Alanna and left very pale  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
That night Alanna didn't speak much at all, finally Jonathon broke the silence.  
  
"Alanna, what's the matter? Is it really that bad that you can't even share with me?"  
  
"Yes, how did you something was the matter?"  
  
"Your only that quite when you're worrying about something now please Alanna tell me what it is? I t can't be that bad"  
  
"Oh yes it can, this could ruin my whole future, let me correct myself it will ruin my whole future"  
  
"Alanna what's the matter? Please tell me or I won't be able to help" said Jon in that caring and gentle voice that Alanna loved about him  
  
"Nothing Jon, really it's nothing!"  
  
By now Jon realized that she was crying and held her tight  
  
"Jon, I don't think we should be together anymore"  
  
"Why?!" asked Jon alarmed  
  
"When people find out who I am, it'll ruin your reputation"  
  
"I don't care if it'll ruin my reputation but I have a feeling that that's not all you're worried about"  
  
"You're right it isn't and I might as well tell you now"  
  
"Yes Alanna tell me, what's so bad that can make you cry," said Jonathon as he wiped away her tears and lifted her chin to make her look at him  
  
"I had a little talk with Duke Gareth this afternoon"  
  
"Is that all? I'll deal with uncle if you want me too"  
  
"Jon wait, let me continue. Duke Gareth and my father had had a little talk that I didn't know about and made a arrangement"  
  
"Oh no! Don't tell me he found out that you're a girl"  
  
"No, it's far worse. My father be…be…betrothed me to Gary" explained Alanna as she burst out in tears while Jonathon just looked astonished "My father still thinks that I went to the convent"  
  
Jon held her tight while she cried, going over what his lover just told him in his mind. Suddenly, Alanna pushed Jonathon away.  
  
"Jon I have to run away, I can't stay"  
  
"Alanna no!" Jon almost yelled  
  
"I have to! There's no other way! Jon, you know I love you but you and I both know that if the truth comes out then we'll both be in trouble!"  
  
"I don't care if we get in trouble! I want to be with you Alanna! I love you like I will never love anyone else in my life! And we're going to get through this one way or another!"  
  
"Fine! Then tell me what we're supposed to do?"  
  
"Well, we could tell Gary when he gets back, the truth and maybe Raoul too and then they'll be able to help us figure out a plan?"  
  
"That'll be too much of a risk! I'll be happy to tell Raoul and Gary the truth but wasting all that time waiting for Gary to come back from Naxen is way too much of a risk. By then father and Duke Gareth have probably already set up a date for the marriage. Well father at least would have mailed a letter to the convent for me and when the daughters of the goddess tell him that I 'm not there then he'll be suspicious and investigate further and then he'll find out that Thom and me traded places and we'll both by in trouble"  
  
"Oh gods this isn't going to be easy"  
  
"Jonathon listen to me! I have to run away! There's no other way!"  
  
"But Alanna, what about us?!"  
  
Alanna looked away though he could see she was crying  
  
"Jonathon we…we just weren't meant to be. It's best you forget about me now before our relationship goes further on"  
  
"But I can't just forget about you Alanna, I love you!" that made her look at him  
  
"I know Jonathon and I love you but even if we carried on with our relationship we could never be together"  
  
"Why not? When you reveal who you truly are to the world I want you to be my wife"  
  
"Jonathon that's too soon, I want to go on my adventures first! Anyway your people would never want a queen who is a lady knight who isn't really a lady and has hidden her true sex from the world for eight years"  
  
"Alanna please, don't leave"  
  
"Then what do you expect me to do?"  
  
"Gary should be back from Naxen in three days, that isn't too much of a risk. Please Alanna stay, Gary could come up with a good idea and convince his father. Please just wait for a couple more days"  
  
"Ok but if he's not back within a week then I'm running away"  
  
"He'll be back," said Jon as he held Alanna tightly and kissed her, "Then you won't have to run away"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sooooooooooo what did ya think of it? Very sad I know but I'm hoping it'll end up happy even though I have no idea how I'm going to fix it up this huge problem. Plz give me some ideas. I want lots of reviews plz! Tell me if ya want me to continue, and it's going to be all A/J.  
  
Until the next chapter, plz r/r,  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	2. Revealing the truth

A/N: Hey ppls! I know dis is a little short, but I promise I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Alanna spent the next three days worrying, she was way below her normal grades, she was always beaten in swords play, she fell off her horse at the minimum of three times a day (MINIMUM) and she didn't even loose her temper when somebody teased her due to the fact that she wasn't very attentive. It seemed she was always somewhere else and not in real life.  
  
To her friends those three days seemed as if Alan had been hypnotized and just wasn't himself.  
  
Alanna was always worrying trying to find a solution to her problem but every time she thought of something that might work it always seemed hopeless in the end. The only time she wasn't worrying was when she was with Jonathon. Together in each other's arms, he always managed to find a way to comfort her.  
  
When at last, the third day came, Alanna and Jonathon hurried to the castle gates to greet Gary when he came and tell him about the TERRIBLE news. But it seemed that Duke Gareth had got there first.  
  
"Hello Alan, I'm sure you're here to tell Gareth the wonderful news. But as the saying goes 'the early bird catches the worm'" said Duke Gareth grinning  
  
"Eh…yeah he he" answered Alanna nervously  
  
"I see you've already told Prince Jonathon the good news"  
  
"Yes he has uncle"  
  
Duke Gareth looked at Alanna's alarm-stricken face but mistook it for something else; "No need to worry Alan right after I tell Gareth the news you can tell him the details"  
  
"Eh…thank you your Grace"  
  
They waited for a couple of hours to dawn when they could see a tiny speck on the horizon. When it got closer they could just make out the shape of Gary and his squire (A/N: I forgot his name).  
  
When Gary finally arrived in front of them, Duke Gareth led him away while his squire took his horse in.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
In Duke Gareth's office~  
  
"Father what is so urgent that you had to see me straight away, before I got a nice hot bath and why in the world are you smiling? I've never seen you this happy before"  
  
"Oh I've some good news for you my son"  
  
"Whatever it is you might as well come out with it, I want my bath"  
  
"Ok then if you want my to be straight forward then fine. I've betrothed you to Squire Alan's sister. Isn't is wonderful?!"  
  
"WHAT?! YOU DID WHAT?!" shouted Gary so loud that Alanna and Jonathon on the other side of the castle worrying could hear it  
  
"I knew it! I knew you'd just love the idea"  
  
"Eh…yeah"  
  
"Now off you go, get a bath and if you want detail of the betrothal talk to Squire Alan he wants to tell you the fantastic news himself"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
That afternoon, Jonathon and Alanna had gathered Gary and Raoul together to have a talk.  
  
"Ok, Alan if this is going to be about the betrothal, father already told me"  
  
"Wait a second, what betrothal?" asked Raoul who had absolutely no idea what they were talking about  
  
"Father betrothed me to Alan's sister" explained Gary  
  
Raoul laughed at the grumpiness in Gary's voice, "Then if this is family business why are Jon and I here?"  
  
"Because there's more to it then just that" said Alanna equally grumpy  
  
"Why are you so grumpy I'm the one that has to marry your sister, you don't have to marry anyone" asked Gary  
  
"That's where you're wrong Gary, there is a hell lot more to it than just that. It's a very serious matter. It could ruin Alan's future" both Gary and Raoul gave Jon a curious look, "Alanna you better tell them  
  
"ALANNA?!" shouted both Gary and Raoul together while staring at her  
  
"I guess this had to happen sooner or later, I guess it had to be sooner, well here goes, I'm a girl. My twin brother is Thom, he wanted to become a sorcerer and I wanted to become a knight so we changed places and that's how I came to be here. Now for the betrothal business, my father thinks that I went the convent. So in other words—"  
  
"Father betrothed you to me" finished Gary, "Shit! This is serious"  
  
"Ok, wait a second here, why does this concern Jon and me?" asked Raoul, still dazed from the sudden outburst of truth  
  
"Well, it concerns me and we wanted you to help us figure out a solution to this problem," explained Jon  
  
"Hold on! How exactly does this concern you Jon?" questioned Gary curiously  
  
Jon and Alanna both blushed a deep red, "Well um… we sort of um…"  
  
"Have a relationship?" asked Gary amused  
  
"Well, um… yeah" answered Alanna  
  
"So my betrothed has an affair with the prince" thought Gary out loud  
  
"Ok enough of that, now do any of you have any ideas how I'm going to get out of this?" asked Alanna trying fiercely to get off the subject of her and Jon  
  
"No" they all said in unison  
  
"Great gods help me!" groaned Alanna before leaning back on her chair and letting out a little whimper of disbelief  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Has anyone read 'First Loves' as well as dis? If you have plz tell me in the reviews which one you think is better. If you haven't read 'First Loves' then plz read it, you should like it if you like A/J which you should since you're reading dis fic. and it's supposed to be A/J so yeah. Anyway plz r/r!  
  
C ya!  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	3. Planning

A/N: Very, very short, I know, the shortest chapter I've ever written, but you said you wanted it fast so this is pretty fast for me, if you want longer then you'll have to wait sometime.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
There was a long silence, finally Jonathon spoke, "Firstly, you will have to tell Thom about this, write a letter to him"  
  
"But he isn't at the convent anymore, he's with the Mithran priests now at the city of the gods, anyway father's letter'll probably get there first" explained Alanna solemnly  
  
"Well, maybe you could deliver it through George?" suggested Raoul  
  
"That would work except its not going to help much, what can Thom do anyway?"  
  
"You could get him to forge a letter to say its from your father and send it to my father and say in the letter that he's very sorry but you decided to take up teaching or something at the convent and I'll go to father and tell him that I don't want to marry you. That should convince him enough" suggested Gary  
  
"Maybe, but what about the letter that's on its way to the convent at this very moment?"  
  
"George could take care of that"  
  
"Ok that's sorted out but I still have a bad feeling about this, I don't think your father would fall for that. Even if it does what about my father, Great Mother Goddess, this is never going to work"  
  
Just then there was a knock on the door as Timon came in, "Squire Alan the Duke would like to see you". Alanna got up, gave them an uncertain look and left.  
  
"We'll be here when you come back," shouted Jonathon after her  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
In the Duke's office~  
  
"Squire Alan, it is nice to see you again"  
  
"Yes your Grace, you too"  
  
"I have just got word from your father and he has just sent a massage to the convent to have your sister come to court immediately, she is to arrive in a weeks time. I'm sure you are very excited to see her," said the Duke giving her a big smile, too big for his face. He heard a 'thump'; he looked down and saw that Alanna had feinted (A/N: yes you heard me clearly, I said feinted)  
  
The next thing she knew, she was in a soft bed with a blurry image of Duke Baird, Duke Gareth, Jonathon, Gary and Raoul looking at her. Slowly the image became clearer and she sat up.  
  
"What happened?" she asked as she rubbed her left temple  
  
"You were in my office and you feinted, I think it was due to the fact that I said that your sister was going to arrive here" at the mention of that, Jon, Gary and Raoul immediately understood what had made Alanna feint and they too turned pale. But Duke Gareth paid no attention to them as he continued, "What else did I—"  
  
"Um… uncle I don't think it's a very good idea to speak anymore of this in front of Alan, we don't want to get him too excited"  
  
"Quite a good idea, Jon, quite a good idea. Well then I'll see you a another time Squire Alan, Duke Baird let's give the young men some room to talk without us interfering" said Duke Gareth as he and Duke Baird left the room. As soon as the door was closed, Alanna nearly feinted again.  
  
"What am I going to do?!" she asked them in a tone of voice which meant the question was to be answered  
  
"I don't know, even George's men couldn't get Thom's forged letter to Duke Gareth quick enough to avoid the meeting. There's only one way out of this…" said Jon  
  
"Oh no, please anything but that" cried Alanna knowing exactly what Jon was thinking  
  
"It's the only way, unless of course…"  
  
"Ok fine I'll go with that" said Alanna as Jonathon smiled wickedly and Gary and Raoul just looked confused  
  
"What is the only way?" asked Raoul confused  
  
"Well since the letter can't arrive that quick, I'll have to dress up as a lady in a weeks time, pretend to arrive at the palace from the convent and be at the meeting"  
  
"Yeah but then what about 'Squire Alan'?" asked Gary clearly not exactly understanding this part of the plan  
  
"I'll say that I sent him on a errand in another fief" suggested Jon  
  
"Yeah but, that won't work, because after we have the meeting, I'm supposed to stay at the palace until the day of the wedding, so if that happens, Squire Alan can never be at the palace when Lady Alanna is here"  
  
"That's true, well let's plan that when we get to it, for now this is enough. I've got a headache as it is, get some rest Alanna, you'll need the spare energy to keep you from feinting again when Duke Gareth tells you more of the so called wonderful news" said Jonathon sarcastically  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Did you like it? Its ok I guess, I'll try to make the next chapter longer and get it up quick as well, look out for. Since I have nothin further more to say. Plz r/r (God am I getting tired of those four words, anyway just do it plz?)  
  
Yours Faithfully,  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	4. Lessons

A/N: I've had some complaints about spelling mistakes (homophone mistakes actually but anyway) in my last chapter, ok I'm sorry. But spelling just isn't me, it isn't exactly my best subject; let me correct myself it's my worst subject. I've never been good at spelling and I never will be so please excuse any more spelling mistakes from me in the near future. Yadda, yadda, yadda, happy? People these days, so fussy. Anyway go on and read my next chapter. Off with you!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next day, Alanna wrote Thom a letter explaining every detail of the disastress betrothal while with Jon sat beside her to help if she missed to put anything in the letter. Raoul and Gary had gone to the city to visit George and to ask him if he could stop the letter from going to the convent and then deliver Alanna's letter to Thom at the city of the Gods.  
  
They all met together in the afternoon to share what they had been doing that morning.  
  
"We met with George and he agreed to help with the massages, have you finished writing the letter? The sooner we get it mailed the better chance we'll have of getting out of this mess" explained Gary  
  
"Yes I've finished writing the letter, can you and Raoul deliver it to George? I need to go to Mistress Cooper for some more lessons and Jon's just tagging along for the fun of it" asked Alanna handing Gary a thick, sealed envelope.  
  
"Sure" exclaimed Raoul taking the letter, "Come on lets go Gary"  
  
Gary and Raoul left the room and headed for the stables.  
  
"Well, I guess we'd better be on our way too" suggested Alanna  
  
"Yeah"  
  
Alanna and Jon headed for the stables, Alanna saddled Moonlight and Jon saddled Darkness, then they were on their way. They arrived in front of Mistress Cooper's house, Alanna gave a little knock on the door as the door opened to reveal George's mother.  
  
"Hello again Mistress Cooper, I need some help"  
  
"Sure, why don't you two come in and tell me about it while I make some tea?"  
  
Alanna and Jon sat down in seats opposite Mistress Cooper and explained what had been going on at the palace.  
  
"Oh you poor thing, you're in a big mess indeed, now tell me what I can do for you"  
  
"Well, since I have to go through with the meeting, I'll have to dress up as a girl which means that I have to get everything a normal lady does right from sitting down properly to curtsying, please help me"  
  
Mistress Cooper looked stunned for a moment, then her face broke into a smile, "Sure I'll help you, but tell me, if you're here to have some more lessons what's you're prince doing here?"  
  
"Oh he just wanted to tag along for the fun of it"  
  
"Well then if you have nothin to do, you can assist me with the lessons"  
  
"Sure, I'll be glad to help," answered Jon as Alanna groaned  
  
For the rest of the afternoon, Mistress Cooper worked on teaching Alanna the many ways of curtsying. When she was finally satisfied with it, she started to tech her some ballroom dancing which Jonathon assisted in.  
  
"That's enough today, make sure to be here tomorrow, curtsying and dancing are just the basics, you've still got a lot more to learn, and very little time, 6 more days."  
  
"Yes, yes I'll be back tomorrow, bye for now" waved Alanna as she and Jon rode off back to the palace.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next day, Alanna was called to another little chat with Duke Gareth, this time Jonathon came with her for fear that she might feint again.  
  
"Good morning uncle, I know this is none of my business but I just tagged along to stop Alan feinting of excitement again," explained Jon as he grinned  
  
"Well, I better cut to the chase after all, I wouldn't want to keep Alan from his morning classes since he has the afternoon off. As I was saying, well I got another letter from your father and it seems that you sister should arrive in another two days time. He said it wouldn't take that long for her to arrive" said the duke giving her another big smile whilst Alanna turned very pale and was just about to feint again but Jonathon put a hand on her shoulder to keep her in reality  
  
"Thank you uncle for the news, I'm sure Alan would say the same except I think he's a bit stunned at the moment, aren't you Alan?" asked Jonathon squeezing her shoulder slightly to make her come to her senses  
  
"What? Oh yes your Grace, thank you for the news, I can't wait until I see my sister again" said Alanna as she and Jonathon left  
  
"Once the door was firmly closed behind them Alanna fell into a dead feint. Luckily Jon was close enough to catch her. He carried Alanna to her room as he then asked some servants to find Gary and Raoul and bring them there immediately  
  
Jon told Gary and Raoul the news that Lady Alanna was supposed come in two days time, which meant they had to hurry things along otherwise it would all be a mess.  
  
When Alanna woke, Jonathon pressed a cup of black tea, scented with rosehips to her lips and told her to drink. It made her feel a little better to be able to go to Mistress Cooper's for another lesson.  
  
After Mistress Cooper heard the news that she had to be ready by two days time, she quickly skipped the unimportant stuff and started teaching Alanna how to walk like a lady. They practically spent the entire afternoon doing that. Trying to make Alanna walk like a lady wasn't easy. But she got it right by the end of the day.  
  
"Come tomorrow too if you have time, we need to get you a proper court attire, and see we're going to do your hair"  
  
"Don't worry about the dress, I can get a good quality silk dress for her" said Jon  
  
"That would be good, bring that tomorrow and we'll look into some jewelry and a proper hairdo. That reminds me, I'm going to have to teach you how to do your own hair. And don't bother bringing Prince Charming tomorrow, you want to give him a surprise don't you?"  
  
"Yes, Jon you are to stay with Gary and Raoul tomorrow" said Alanna  
  
"Oh fine"  
  
"Bye Mistress Cooper"  
  
"Bye" called Alanna as she and Jon rode back to the palace  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next afternoon, Alanna rode alone to Mistress Cooper's carrying a beautiful, cream coloured dress.  
  
She knocked on the door twice before George's mother came to answer it.  
  
"Oh hello there dear, come in come in"  
  
Alanna went in and gave her the dress Jon had given her to wear, she look it over and appeared quite impressed.  
  
"Your Prince certainly has good taste"  
  
"Yes, he's very fussy about clothes"  
  
Mistress Cooper chuckled, "Well first off I'm going to teach you how to do your hair"  
  
(Yadda, yadda, yadda, I can't be bothered going through this)  
  
Mistress Cooper spent half the afternoon teaching Alanna the different methods of hairstyles and how to come up with some of her own. After that she got Alanna to put on the dress to see how it fitted, it looked fine so she didn't have to fix anything up. Then they started to work on the different types of hairdos and finally came up with one that suited the dress and Alanna perfectly. She dug up some jewelry from the drawers of her dressing table and looked into which ones suited the outfit.  
  
After they had that arranged, Alanna changed back to her normal clothes. She was going to stay at Mistress Cooper's for the night and in the afternoon would then ride to the palace to make it look as if she had come from the convent and was on her way to the palace.  
  
"Well you have to look like you're a lady from the convent coming to palace to meet your betrothed. Sop you'll need to have everything a actual lady has when she goes to the palace which includes baggage, you look silly going to the palace for a stay with out any baggage. I pack some bags for you with some jewelry and face paint. I expect that your prince will provide you with the dresses"  
  
"Thank you Mistress Cooper"  
  
Then they had dinner and went to bed. (Yadda, yadda, yadda, this is getting a little boring)  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: And the plot thickens… I've always wanted to say that. Dumb chapter I know *winces*. Just to say sorry for such a dumb chapter, the next chapter will have a surprise in it. Anyway I've had some really good ideas that ppl have suggested in the reviews. I'm working on putting them in, in chapter in the near future. Thanx 2 every1 who reviewed and special thanx to Lady Gabriella and Blue Eyes for giving me good ideas even though I will change it a bit to make it fit into the chapters properly. I'll deliver the next chapter when have near 70 reviews plz so unless you don't want the next chapter to come out soon r/r!  
  
Cya,  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	5. The Meeting

A/N: I'm really happy, I've got 83 reviews and this is only my fifth chapter. ^_^. This is pretty short but the next chapter should be out soon  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
When she arrived at the palace, she gave her baggage to one of the palace guards to take to her room at the palace. Then she checked her face in the mirror, (A/N: I know very unlike Alanna but…) to make sure she had everything on properly before being led to a room for the meeting between Alanna and Gary. She walked gracefully into the room as she looked around. There weren't that many people in the room, then why did she feel so nervous. There was only Duke Gareth, Gary and Jon and Raoul who tagged along to see 'Lady Alanna'.  
  
All of them look astonished (with their eyes wide and mouth hanging open) to see how beautiful she looked. Alanna had worn a beautiful, cream coloured court dress trimmed with gold; it assented her slim figure. It was made of the finest silks money could buy. The dress was sleeveless apart from a few straps of cream silk that clung to her shoulder edges. The dress had to have a low neckline in order to make it look fitting. Alanna had argued with Mistress Cooper about it but it was no use since she insisted that no proper court lady wore dresses without low necklines. Alanna complained that it made her look like a slut but mistress Cooper protested that it did no such thing so in the end she gave up and let Mistress Cooper do what she had to. The bodice of the dress had exquisite designs of roses made of gold thread. The skirt of the dress had was made of three layers, the outside layer was the same colour as the rest of the dress and went half way around the back of the dress. The next layer was very a thin, nearly see through, white-cream fabric that opened up in the middle to show the inside layer of the skirt which was the same colour as the rest of the dress. Though the inside layer had designs of roses all over it. The skirt reached down to the ground; Alanna had tripped on it twice; it had a major flair at the bottom. The dress came with one of those shawls that wrapped around your arms, the shawl had designs of roses made of gold thread like the rest of the dress; it added a unique look. Alanna's hair wasn't long enough to do much with so she used some magic on herself to make her hair grow longer (just above the knees). Her hair was pulled into a high plait, which was then twirled around into a bun surrounded with curls. Mistress Cooper had stuck some gold, rose pins into it so it went along with the dress. Alanna had made herself a fringe with the rest of the hair pulled back except for four strands, two on each side. Around her neck, she wore a gold, rose necklace like the pins in her hair. She had a matching ring on her right hand and a matching bracelet on her other hand. She would have had matching earrings too but she didn't have them pierced. And to top off it all off, she a little bit of gold eye shadow and pure red lip paint. Alanna was a perfect picture of beauty. (A/N: I'm sorry if I took so long describing the dress and all)  
  
Duke Gareth was the first to catch his breath, "Lady Alanna of Trebond I'd like you to meet your betrothed, my son Sir. Gareth of Naxen" he introduced as Gary gave a bow and Alanna curtsied, he went on, "I'm sorry that your brother, Squire Alan is not here. He was very excited to see you indeed but unfortunately he was sent on an errand in another fief so he won't be back for a while. But to fill in for him is two of his closest friends, Prince Jonathon—crown prince and heir to the thrown of Tortall, also your brother's knight master—and Sir. Raoul of Goldenlake"  
  
Alanna curtsied as they all bowed, "Sir. Gareth, Prince Jonathon and Sir. Raoul will now take you on a tour of the palace. We'll go into further introductions at the ball tonight"  
  
"Thank you your Grace" said Alanna as she curtsied again. Gary walked forward and offered an arm; Alanna took it gracefully, Jon watched all this and was a little jealous and Raoul who was trying to hide his laughter.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Pretty dumb chapter eh? I promise tha next chapter will be soon. This time I mean it (sorta). Well, anyway, there isn't exactly that much to say really so I'm gonna leave you here so I can work on the next chapter.  
  
Bye!  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	6. Letters and Spells

A/N: Could be longer, but unless you want me to take as long as I'm taking to upload 'First Loves' which has been more than a month, I suggest you just be happy with what I've got here. Sorry, just in a really grumpy mood. I dun really badly on my exam and now I've got this huge pile of homework to do and to top it all off my mum want to sell our dog.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
They had walked out of the door and into Alanna's room. Once inside, Alanna took her hand away from Gary's as Jonathan kissed her passionately and she returned it.  
  
"Um…do you mind?" asked Gary flinching  
  
"Sorry" apologized Alanna as she broke the kiss and she and Jon blushed furiously  
  
Raoul chuckled, all of a sudden Alanna yelled out angrily, "No one told me that I had to go to balls, its bad enough that I have to go as a boy but now I have to go as a girl?! Gods help me I'm never going to pull this off"  
  
"Don't worry, we'll pull this off, together" said Jon as he gave her a warm, sweet smile which calmed her down a little  
  
"Thank you" said Alanna as she gave him a loving smile, which melted his heart; they kissed again  
  
"Ew! This is getting mushy, are you guys going to carry on with this? Cause if you are, warn us and we'll go," exclaimed Raoul as they all chuckled  
  
"No, no. Don't worry, just keep Jon away from me so he can't tempt me anymore" Alanna said as she made a face at Jon, "ok the original plan is not going to work so we have to come up with another plan. Anyone?"  
  
All heads looked at her, finally Raoul suggested, "Maybe we could go to the city and see if George has any news from Thom—" He was cut short because just then, there was a knock at the door. Gary went and opened it.  
  
Stephan came in, "George said to give Lady Alanna this" he said puffing (like he had raced up the stairs) as he gave Gary a sealed envelope and package addressed to Alanna  
  
"Thank you Stephan"  
  
"Pleasure Master Gary" he said and disappeared around the corner  
  
Gary walked back into the room where they were discussing and thrust the envelope and small package into Alanna's hands.  
  
"What's this?" asked Alanna confused  
  
"Stephan said it was from George open it," urged Gary  
  
Alanna opened the envelope and read it out loud so the rest of them could hear:  
  
Dearest sister, Alanna,  
  
You seem to have gotten yourself in a lot of trouble indeed. If we don't do something about this and soon, it could get out of hand. Unfortunately I can't come to court and help out for I still need to finish my studies here. Even though I probably won't be studying anything if we (mostly you) can't get out of this mess. Enclosed with this letter is a pile of small spells to help you for your disguise. I think they might come in handy. I am sorry that I have to cut this short but I really must be going. If I come up with a plan, I'll tell you but for now, my mind's as blank as ever.  
  
Hope to see you very soon,  
  
Your Loving brother, Thom  
  
Alanna put down the letter and had a look at some of the spells in the small package, they were bound together like a small book, the pages were made out of leather so it wouldn't rip. But even so it was still very delicate. The spells were mostly illusions, invisibility and other things that could help her out when 'Squire Alan' was supposed to be back from the little errand in another fief and 'Lady Alanna' was still there.  
  
"Well, having a brother as a sorcerer certainly has its advantages," said Jon looking over the spells, "This is pretty advanced magic you have here"  
  
Alanna smiled, "It seems that he has achieved his ultimate dream of becoming a sorcerer"  
  
"Guys it's nearly time the ball started we better go and change" interrupted Gary  
  
"Ok, I'll see you later" said Jon and left  
  
"You guys better go too, and remember Gary, take no interest in me, and I'll take no interest in you. Then somehow…I don't know, maybe our be- damned-fathers will cancel the betrothal or something though I doubt it very much"  
  
"Since this does not concern me, I need to go, it takes me ages just to get my hair flattened. You guys go ahead and keep planning," said Raoul and left  
  
"Anyway, you want me to come and pick you up or something"  
  
"Na, Jon's going to get so jealous"  
  
"Ok, now I need to go" Gary went out the door, now that only left Alanna  
  
Well, I might as well head to the ball thought Alanna grimly  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Next chapter coming out real soon but I'm not uploading until I have nearly 120 reviews, which is a lot. But I said nearly so like I dun no, well at least 115 reviews plz. I'll try to make da next chapter longer but it depends how much homework I have in the next couple of days. Oh yeah, thanx ta everyone who reviewed. Luv hearing from you so r/r!  
  
Next chap. coming real soon,  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	7. The Ball

A/N: Hey guys, I'll start of the chapter with an apology. I'm sorry that I took so long. I know I said in the last chapter that I would upload this chapter once I had at least 115 reviews but I didn't think that I would get all 115 that fast and I didn't have this chapter ready, sorry. Anyway now read this chapter and dun forget to r/r afterwards!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
She was surprised when she found Jon already there; he smiled and walked towards her  
  
"What are you so happy about?"  
  
"Oh nothing" he said still smiling  
  
She made face  
  
"Ok fine, its just going to fun tonight"  
  
"You call this life and death business fun?!" she asked; Jon looked at her blankly; Alanna sighed, "Never mind, I am so never going to pull this off. Like what if I trip and fall or something then—"  
  
"You are thinking too negative, think confident, and if you do trip… well we'll be here for you"  
  
"Wow, real comforting. And do I have to dance with all the men that ask me?!" asked Alanna stressed  
  
"Yep!"  
  
"But I don't know how to flirt!"  
  
"You think I don't that? If you could flirt then I would of objected to this idea long ago"  
  
Alanna scowled, "We'll see Jonathan of Conte, we'll see"  
  
Just then, Gary and Raoul came into the ballroom  
  
"Hey guys what you talking bout?" asked Raoul  
  
"Oh nothing, Jonathan here was just annoying me like usual—"  
  
"Oh shit! Here comes father, everyone places!"  
  
Duke Gareth walked up to them with a smile on his face "Hello, I see you got to know each other"  
  
"Yes father, we have" there was a long silence, Alanna started to get impatient because it seemed that Gary had forgotten his line. She elbowed him in the stomach, hard  
  
"Eh… Lady Alanna, would you like to dance?"  
  
"I would love to Sir. Gareth" said Alanna as she curtsied and then took to the dance floor with Gary  
  
When they from earshot, they started talking  
  
"You didn't have to elbow me that hard" he hissed  
  
"I can't believe you forgot you line"  
  
"Sorry, speaking of that, what's the rest of the plan for the night?"  
  
"Ok, we finish this dance, then we both go in totally separate directions ok? And we stay away from each other for the rest of the night unless we're summoned or something from your father. Hopefully, they'll get the idea soon that we don't like each other at all"  
  
"Got it!"  
  
They finished the rest of the dance and then Jon led Alanna away and Gary went to find Lady Cynthera of Elden  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"So… did you remind Gary of the rest of the plan?" asked Jon  
  
"Yep! Hopefully, he'll remember this time. Is this all you do at balls? Just stand around and talk all day?"  
  
"No, we dance. Speaking of that, would you care to dance Lady Alanna?" asked Jon  
  
"No I would not," replied Alanna grumpily  
  
"You're not supposed to refuse"  
  
"Well, you asked me, and I gave you my answer"  
  
Jon signed, "Come on please?"  
  
Alanna looked at him and gave in, he had the sweetest puppy dog face on; it would make any woman's heart flip, "Ok fine, but just this one dance"  
  
"Thank you"  
  
Alanna danced with Jon for a while and then they stopped for a drink. The rest of the night went swiftly. Although, by the look on her face, Alanna was certainly not happy about it. She had been asked a million by knights she knew and didn't know.  
  
"That is so it! I've had enough I'm going" cried Alanna to Jon after she just returned from her seemingly-like millionth dance in a row  
  
Jon just laughed, "Come on, you can full, fledged knights, the Ysandir, the sweating sickness, a war and yet you can't handle a day in the life of a court lady"  
  
Alanna looked at the time and grumbled; it was nearly midnight, "Believe I'll switch places with you any day. These shoes are killing me! When does the ball end tonight?"  
  
"Well, usually it goes to about 2-3 in the morning"  
  
"Oh great, I have to put up with another 2 to 3 hours of annoying knights asking me to dance before I can go to bed"  
  
"Yep!" said Jon in the annoying tone of voice, "That's the fun of it!"  
  
The ball (luckily) finished at 2 o clock in the morning, then everyone went to bed.  
  
"Come to bed" asked Jon hopefully  
  
"No Jon, I'm tired and now we live in different wings of the palace remember, it wouldn't do to have the word spread that we were going to bed together especially when I'm supposed to be betrothed to Gary" Alanna gave him a meaningful look and Jon realized that she was serious  
  
"Ok fine, I'll meet you at breakfast tomorrow morning?"  
  
"Yes, now go," said Alanna as she walked off in the opposite direction to Jon's  
  
When she got to her room, Alanna closed the door and flopped on the bed; she was asleep within minutes.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next will have a surprise in it that makes the plot more shocking than it already is. Hehe! I want at least 140 reviews before I upload the next chapter. I know I said something like this in the other chapter but this time, even if I do have the next chapter finished, I'm not uploading it until I have 140 reviews of above plz! R/r!  
  
Bye!  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	8. Lord Alan

A/N: Hey ppls! I'm back with a new chapter! R/r!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning, Alanna met Raoul, Gary and Jon in the mess hall for breakfast when Timon came up to them.  
  
"Lady Alanna, his Grace, Duke Gareth would like to see you" Alanna turned pale; she hadn't forgotten the last he want to see her or the last time or the last.  
  
Jon, thankfully, came to the rescue, "May we come along too Timon?"  
  
"I don't see why not, but you will have to wait outside of the room when he is speaking to her"  
  
"That's fine, lead the way" ushered Gary  
  
Alanna once again found herself in front of Duke Gareth's office, thinking of a way to get away. Jon, Gary and Raoul were going to wait outside for her while she went in.  
  
Alanna timidly opened the door.  
  
"Lady Alanna, please have a seat," laughed Duke Gareth at her nervousness  
  
"Thank you your Grace"  
  
"Now I might as well get straight to the point. I'm sorry if I'm making you nervous, so as I would say to your brother, Alan. I have some very good news," exclaimed Duke Gareth while Alanna winced, "Your father, Lord Alan will be coming to court"  
  
Duke Gareth gave her a big smile, Alanna felt her head going dizzy, but she regained her self-control quickly enough.  
  
"Oh, that's wonderful" Alanna lied from the side of her, mouth, "I haven't seen him for six years now and I don't think he has come to court since he met my mother"  
  
"No, you're right, he hasn't, it would be good to see him again"  
  
"Duke Gareth, may I ask a favor of you?"  
  
"Ask first and I'll if I can help"  
  
"Can you please call my brother, Squire Alan, Thom while he's here? It would be a great help, you see he tends to get the three of us mixed up because we look almost the same, the last time he got up mixed up and we corrected him, he was in bed for three weeks claiming he had a terrible headache. And can you please pretend that there is only Thom and me because he seems to forget he has a third child"  
  
"Well, that's awful that he forgets he has another child, don't you think we should remind him?"  
  
"As much as we want to do that your Grace we can't. You see, he's getting old and forgetful, I think through his whole life, he thinks that he only has two children because he never did pay us much attention, he was always at his books you see. And if we tell him he has a third child now, after sixteen years thinking he only has two, well…Mithros knows what'll happen but you can expect something terrible that's for sure"  
  
"Yes, yes you're quite right. Then I shall pretend he only has two children, thank you for telling me that Lady Alanna. Now, any questions you would like to ask?"  
  
"Um… yes your Grace, when is father arriving?"  
  
There was a knock on the door  
  
"Come in" said Duke Gareth  
  
Timon opened the door, "Your Grace, this gentlemen would like to see you"  
  
The door opened and Lord Alan walked in, behind him, she could see, Jon, Gary and Raoul look on with horror  
  
"Does that answer your question Lady Alanna?" asked Duke Gareth with amusement  
  
"Yes your Grace. Hello father" Alanna greeted trying to stay as calm as possible with little success  
  
"Hello Alanna, it has been some time hasn't it?"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
I know, I know, I took my time with uploading. But of course that is mainly because someone reviewed let's see, I don't know… AT LEAST FIVE TIMES! Look, it's not that I'm not flattered that you want me upload because you want more but please don't review that many times with exactly the same message on it. I except double reviews from the same person per chapter because they forgot to say something or other but please do not review five times with the exact same message (well nearly the same anyway) each time. Anyway, I want at least 160 reviews or above until I mail the next chapter please.  
  
Cya next time!  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^  
  
P.S.  
  
Special note to Starfire, I'm glad you have your account back. But of course now that you have it back, you better start uploading your chapters quick fast so hop to it missy! *smiles* 


	9. SquireThom?

A/N: This is probably the longest chapter I've written so far, so be grateful!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Yes your Grace. Hello father" Alanna greeted trying to stay as calm as possible with little success  
  
"Hello Alanna, it has been some time hasn't it?"  
  
"Yes father" there was a long silence  
  
Finally Duke Gareth saw that neither one of them was going to say anything else to each other so he said, "Ah… Lady Alanna, you may leave, hopefully you will be able to see your father at the ball tonight. In the meantime, your father and I would like to talk"  
  
"Yes your Grace" said Alanna as she curtsied and walked out of the room and closed the door  
  
Once she was out the door, she dropped calm, "Please tell me that man in there is not my father"  
  
"As much as we want to, we can't because he is," said Raoul worriedly  
  
"This isn't happening to me… is it?!"  
  
Jon went and hugged Alanna to calm her down a bit, she looked like she was going to cry, "It's alright sweet, we'll work out a plan, don't worry, we're going to get through this somehow", he hugged her tightly as she sobbed into his tunic, "As for now, The be-damned ball starts in an hour, she we better go and change, Raoul, Gary we'll meet you in Alanna's old room— twenty minutes before the ball starts so we can think of a new plan and revise it, got it?"  
  
They nodded and then went in their different directions. Alanna got to her room and found a dress on the bed, obviously left by Jon. She was just about to change into it, when she heard a knock on the door. Alanna cursed under her breath and went to answer the door; it was a maid.  
  
"My lady, Squire Alan would like to see you" she said as Alanna puzzled over what the maid said and wondering if she heard properly.  
  
Her confusion was soon resolved when the maid walked out of the way to reveal 'her'. Alanna was shocked stiff for a moment as her other self looked at her smiling, when she finally came to her senses and realized the maid was still there, she said, "Thank you, you may go"  
  
The maid curtsied and left, "Sister dear, aren't you even going to give your brother a hug?" the double asked  
  
"Thom?!" Alanna almost yelled with excitement and pulled him up in a ferocious hug as he returned it just as fierce, "I'm so glad to see you, I thought you said you couldn't come to court?"  
  
"I'm just taking a little time off, I have to go back soon so you better fill me in on what's been happening"  
  
"You don't know do you?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"Life just got a little harder for me 10 minutes ago"  
  
"Alanna just spit it out!"  
  
"You won't believe it if I told you"  
  
"Alanna!"  
  
"Ok fine, make sure your sitting down. Father's at court"  
  
"He's what?!"  
  
"You're joking right?"  
  
"I've never been this serious in my life"  
  
"Oh Gods this isn't going to be easy. We'll think about that when it happens, for now do I have to do something, report to anyone that 'Squire Alan" is back?" asked Thom  
  
"Now that you mention it, you have to report to Duke Gareth. Since you have no idea of what to do, I might as well dress up as 'Squire Alan' and report to his grace. For now, you put on my other spare uniform—you have to serve at the ball tonight—and head to my old room, next to Jon's, I'm supposed to meet him, Gary and Raoul—my friends—there 20 minutes before the ball starts. You got that?" Alanna asked as she struggled on her squire's uniform  
  
"Got it, except I don't know where your old room is and I don't know how to serve at balls. But there is a spell that could help, come here" Thom gestured  
  
Alanna walked over to him, he put his right hand on her forehead and muttered a spell under his breath. She drew in a deep breath; she could feel her mind racing over the ways around the palace and all the times she had served at balls. Finally Thom removed his hand.  
  
"I've learnt all I need to know, I'll meet you afterwards ok?"  
  
"Yeah, it's fine. When you get there, explain to Jon, Gary and Raoul what happened, I'll meet you all there after I visit the duke and then get changed into the dress I have to wear tonight. Oh yeah one more thing, when your serving tonight, you have to have Faithful on your shoulder wherever you go from now on because normally I don't go anywhere without him"  
  
"Who exactly is 'Faithful'?"  
  
"I didn't tell you did I? Faithful's my cat, I found him in the forest when I was on an errand for Myles a few months ago. He normally talks to me, sometimes others understand too, it's up to him whether he wants them to hear or not. If he hasn't been up to an mischief these past days he should be in my room"  
  
"All this you're telling me is quite strange but what's stranger is I believe you. Anything else I need to know fill me in at the ball tonight, ok?"  
  
"Yeah, now I really have to go or I'll be late, you run along too!"  
  
Alanna practically ran down the hall to Duke Gareth's office, she stood in front of it and wondered if father was still talking to Duke Gareth, if he was they might be in for a lot of trouble. What if he forgot what 'Lady Alanna' had asked him to do and called her Squire Alan in front of father. Alanna finally stopped thinking these thoughts and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in"  
  
Alanna held her breath as she nervously opened the door. She let out a sigh of relief as she only saw Duke Gareth in the room  
  
"Ah… Squire Alan, you're back. Sit down please, I have a lot to tell you"  
  
"Thank you your Grace. I just came to report that I'm back but I have to leave soon or else I'll be late to serve at the ball tonight" said Alanna trying to hurry along so she could get to Thom, Jon, Gary and Raoul before the ball  
  
"Don't worry, I won't keep you long. I have a feeling once I tell you the news, being late to serve at the ball won't be your number one priority" he smiled then continued, "You probably know that your sister, Lady Alanna has come to court, she shall be at the ball tonight. But I bet you didn't know that your father is at court too"  
  
Alanna made her face look surprised  
  
"He arrived a few hours ago. I know you are probably pretty anxious to talk to them. First, I need to get one thing straight. Your sister asked me to call you Squire Thom and pretend that he only has two children, Alanna and Thom while he's here. Should I do as she asked?"  
  
"Please your Grace, it would be a great help"  
  
"Then I shall do that, you may go now Squire Alan"  
  
"Thank you your Grace" Alanna bowed and walked out of the room  
  
Once she had closed the door, she sped down the hall heading towards her old room, then stopped half way and realized that she didn't live there anymore. Alanna turned and headed the other way.  
  
When she got to her room, she locked the door, took off her clothes and slipped on the dress. Then she got a maid and asked her to do her hair and put on some face paint.  
  
Alanna looked beautiful, she wore a light, emerald-green dress with a pearl shift under it. It had no sleeves at all so it revealed most of her chest, which annoyed Alanna incredibly. The dress came with a little overcoat that only reached to her waist. It was the same colour as the dress but see- through. The overcoat had 3/4 sleeves that reached to the elbows after which then flared out. Around her neck she wore a green fabric choker decorated with pearls and emeralds. Her copper hair had pearls plaited into it, the top half was twirled around into a bun, which was pined into place with pearl-covered pins. The bottom half of the plait was let out and made into a cascade of curls. Since the curls were the bottom half of the plait, it made it look like the curls were coming out of the bun which gave it an exquisite look.  
  
Alanna hurried to her old room next to Jon's, nearly killing herself in the process by tripping on the rim of her dress, she had forgotten what Mistress Cooper had taught her about lifting her dress up a bit so she could walk and never run.  
  
Alanna threw open the door to her old room and found Jon, Gary, Thom and Raoul quietly discussing.  
  
"Sorry guys, I'm late I know. I'm guessing that Thom explained?" asked Alanna as she carefully closed the door  
  
"Yes, sweet. You look remarkable," said Jon as he got up and kissed her  
  
Thom was looking at the pair rather strangely  
  
"What?!" Alanna asked  
  
"I think I should be the one asking 'what', explanation please?"  
  
Alanna looked at Jon and he looked back, obviously, they were telling each other to explain, finally Gary got impatient  
  
"They're lovers"  
  
Alanna and Jon blushed while continued to look at them strangely  
  
"Thom! Stop giving me that look; I'll explain the whole story later. In the meantime, what's the plan?"  
  
"We'll just go by the one we had last time, stay as far away from each other as possible. We need more time to think of a proper plan, we'll do that tomorrow. For now, just go with the old plan, hopefully Gary won't forget his lines again" everyone laughed  
  
"Thom you need to go do serving duty now, we'll meet you at the ball tonight" said Alanna  
  
"Ok, I'll meet you there, and keep an eye out for father" warned Thom  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Stupid place to finish, I know. Can't say much, I have to go and do my homework, all I'm going to say is, I'll send the next chapter when I have 190 reviews or over, thanx and bye!  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	10. Duke Roger, at it again

A/N: I'm sorry I took so long, I just have way 2 much homework to do, I have to hand in 9 projects in two weeks and I've only finished 3 of them and one week has passed. Plz just be grateful that I'm even uploading, anyway, this chapter is nearly as long as my other one so it should keep you content until I update again  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Thom rushed out of the room as the rest of them walked towards the ballroom.  
  
The ballroom was in a buzz that night as knights and ladies danced. Alanna, Jon, Gary, Raoul and Thom—who was pretending to serve them food—were in a corner of the room talking amongst themselves.  
  
"—the knight over there with the shaggy beard is Sir. Myles of Olau and you're supposed to know him very well and be one of his best friends, and the tall, thin knight over there is…" Alanna was explaining to Thom all the people at court, their names and their personalities, "Ok, got all that?"  
  
"Yep, it's all in here," said Thom pointing to his head  
  
"Then you better go or they'll get suspicious," said Alanna as she shoed him away  
  
"Uh oh, here comes your father Alanna," said Jon wearing a slightly worried look on his face  
  
"What?!"  
  
Lord Alan walked up to them, "Hello daughter, your Highness, Sir Gary and eh…"  
  
"Sir Raoul my lord"  
  
"Oh yes Sir. Raoul"  
  
"Hello father" said Alanna in a disgustingly sweet voice trying to disguise her boyish tone that she was use to. Raoul, Gary and Jon all noticed the change in voice and looked at her as if she was sick, she shot back a warning look and then they all looked at lord Alan  
  
"It has been a long time hasn't it Alanna, I see you have turned into a proper, noble lady not like you were when you were a child, dreaming about becoming a warrior maiden and thinking it would come true"  
  
Raoul, Gary and Jon looked to Alanna with shock; they knew she didn't take being insulted easily. Alanna turned red with anger, which her father mistook for embarrassment, she tried to keep her temper down as she put on her sweetest smile, "yes father I'm glad I have gotten over my childhood fantasies too" Alanna lied, then mumbled angrily under her breath, "Too bad the only way I could have gotten over it is fulfilling it"  
  
"What was that?" asked Lord Alan  
  
"Nothing" Alanna said quickly as Jon, Gary and Raoul muffled their laughs in their hands  
  
"Did I miss something?" asked Lord Alan impatiently  
  
"No, no, we ah… nothing, don't worry" Alanna mumbled as she turned the other way pretending not to notice their stares  
  
Jon decided it was about time he rescued Alanna, "Lady Alanna, would you like to dance?"  
  
"I would love to your highness" said Alanna and curtsied as Jon led her to the dance floor  
  
When they were clear away from them, Alanna let out a sigh, "That was way too close. Where's Thom anyway?"  
  
"He's—" Jon started but was cut off by a loud crash, which sounded like glass breaking on the other side of the ballroom, "What was that?"  
  
"I don't know, let's go and check it out," said Alanna as she led Jon towards the center of the commotion  
  
They pushed past all the knights and ladies to find Thom in the center staring at the huge, glass bowl of punch that he had just dropped on the floor. He saw Alanna and Jon looking at him and gave Alanna a look; she guessed he dropped it on purpose by the looks of things. Alanna wondered why he would do that while clutching the ember stone around her neck for reassurance. She saw a steady orange light around the punch that Thom had purposely spilt. She looked towards Duke Roger who was seated next to the king and queen. His eyes flared with anger as he looked from the punch that was spilt to Thom and back.  
  
Duke Gareth came to see what all the uproar was about and discovered Thom staring in the punch he had spilt.  
  
"I'm sorry your Grace, I seem to have dropped the punch" said Thom sounding as innocent as possible  
  
"It's alright Squire Al—I mean Thom *clears his voice* ahem… I suspect you are tired from your long journey back, you may have the rest of the night off"  
  
"Thank you your Grace" said Thom as Alanna pulled him aside to talk to him  
  
She pulled him into the shadows of a quiet corner of the ballroom as Jon followed them.  
  
"What was in the punch?"  
  
"I don't know but it was bewitched that's for sure, I could sense a powerful potion mixed into it, I'm thinking it's one of your 'smiling friend's' tricks" remarked Thom grimly  
  
"Smiling friends…?" asked Jonathan confused  
  
Alanna stole a sideways glance at him then eyed Thom, "We're going to have to explain to him, he doesn't know yet"  
  
Thom gave Alanna a look, "You didn't tell him?"  
  
"What was I supposed to do, just go up to him and say 'There's someone out to kill you'? For Mithros' sake Thom, it would have been better if he didn't know; it would save a lot of worrying on my side of things. I was going to reveal his secret sooner or later but now this be-damned betrothal comes up from out nowhere and to top it all off father's at court" snapped Alanna in a dangerously quiet tone  
  
"Ok, ok, Alanna calm down. I guess I let it slip, we'll have to tell him now"  
  
Jon looked from Alanna to her brother; he couldn't believe she was keeping secrets from. And by the sound of things, it concerned a certain someone trying to kill him, "Just what are you two talking about?! Someone explain to me please?!"  
  
Alanna let out a sigh, "I'm sorry Jon that I kept this from you but you're not going to like it" she stopped and looked into his deep sapphire eyes, then continued, "Someone's out to kill you Jon"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Roger."  
  
The name hanged between the three before Alanna broke the silence, "he wants the throne Jon, he'll be next in line to the throne if you're dead, that's why he wants you dead"  
  
"This is ridiculous! He's my cousin! And what makes you think he would want to kill me?"  
  
"He's had his men follow Thom and I around for over a year now. He's more than likely to be the one who sent the sweating sickness, even as far away as Carthak, he's that powerful. He practically dared you to go to the Black City because he knew you would get killed there but you took me with you and we both survived. There was a bur attached to Duke Gareth's saddle when it threw the duke and the man disappeared the same day. Roger took charge. The night I was kidnapped by the Tusaine, I talked with him. He asked me to be his friend, even though it sounded more like a threat then a question. I refused and then the fog came up. And then there's Demon Grey and his mate, his magic surrounded them when I held the ember" Alanna looked thoughtful, "I'm sorry it had to turn out this way Jon but you have to believe me even if you don't want to but you know that I'm right. They can't be all coincidences"  
  
Jon looked into her eyes, "I believe you Alanna, I just can't believe he would do such a thing"  
  
"Well, believe it and be careful, no doubt if he's tried so many times to dispose of you, he will try again. You guys talk more, I'm going to go, I want to find out what kind of potion he put in the punch, I've got a sample of it in my pocket. And don't even talk to me about father" said Thom as he left the ballroom  
  
"I think I'll go as well, it's not like there's anything interesting to do anyway. And I for one do not want to get into another little talk with father; I nearly lost my temper last time"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Duke Roger watched as Squire Alan, Lady Alanna and his princely cousin talked in a corner of the room. There was something not quite right about Squire Alan and there was something strange about Lady Alanna, he needed to take the pieces of the puzzle apart and then put it back together again to get to the truth. He smiled to himself; there would be plenty of time for that, and once he revealed their secret, he had a feeling that would finally get the chance to rid himself of his princely cousin, once and for all  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Ha ha ha! How wicked I am. This just adds more fuel to the plot doesn't it? Duke Roger is now in it, so it just gives Alanna one more thing to think about. Like I said, I have too much homework so it might take sometime for me to upload. Oh yeah, *smiles sweetly*, I want at least 225reviews until I update my next chap. Plz  
  
Be prepared to wait a long time, Cya!  
  
Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	11. This might actually work!

A/N: IT'S A MIRACLE!!! I FINALLY UPLOADED!!! Sorry, I haven't up[loaded in a while. I sorta ran outta ideas. *~*~*~*  
  
Alanna got up the next morning, put on a plain light blue dress and headed for the mess hall. As she walked in, she saw Jon, Thom-who had Faithful in his arms-, Gary and Raoul sitting around a table having breakfast. "Hey guys, what are you doing?" Alanna asked as she took a seat between Jon and Raoul "I spent the whole night testing the potion Roger put into the bowl of punch last night and I found out what it was. He put in a sleeping potion strong enough to keep you asleep for three days with only a drop" "Wow, that's some potion but why would he want to put the whole palace into a deep sleep?" "That's what I'd like to know," answered Gary studying the table "So far, all we could come up with is that he was putting everyone to sleep so he could kill Jon, you and their highnesses and when everyone else awoke, they wouldn't know how they got killed" suggested Raoul "That's pretty lame and it's not Roger's style," said Alanna "She's right, it's not like Roger to that, he goes with more, no suspicions, die naturally kind of thing" said Jon, backing Alanna up "It was only a thought" Raoul shrugged "Yeah, I know" Alanna turned towards Thom and looked him over "What?!" asked Thom seeing her look at him strangely "Nothing, it's just that, there's something wrong with Squire Alan's appearance but I can't quite put my finger on it. Guys, you see me nearly everyday, what's wrong with Squire Alan's appearance?" "That's easy, Faithful isn't on Thom's shoulder" said Raoul "I tried to put that damned-cat on my shoulder but he won't stay" complained Thom "Faithful, stay on Thom's shoulder" Alanna told Faithful No he said stubbornly "Did he just talk?" asked Thom astonished "Yeah, I know it's strange but he does talk, why not Faithful?"  
  
Because he's not you, oh sure you're difficult sometimes but you're never anything like him  
  
"Uh. thanks though I'm not sure that's a complement," said Alanna "Is he a cat or an immortal? Because I have never heard of a cat who talks and quite frankly, I'm not sure I believe it"  
  
Well, believe it buster  
  
"Who cares if he's a cat or an immortal, the only thing I'm worried about right now is how I'm going to get away with the betrothal. Father just informed me this morning that the wedding is going to take place in three months from now which is only a month from when I enter the Chamber of Ordeal. I need to find some way to slow the wedding down a bit so I can take the ordeal before the wedding so when I get my shield I can reveal my true identity and not have to go along with the wedding. Any plans?" asked Alanna while Thom, Gary, Raoul and Jon all looked at her with blank faces. "First of all, where's the wedding going to be?" question Thom "I think it's supposed to be at the palace since neither my father nor Duke Gareth would agree on it" "Ok, then, first of all, are you sure, father and Duke Gareth will call off the wedding when they find out you're a girl?" asked Thom "Their bound to, I mean who would want the first lady knight in more than a hundred years, disgrace to the entire nation as a daughter-in-law?" "True, true, well they have to plan the wedding so maybe we could just make some things go wrong, some especially important things" pondered Thom, more to himself then the others "What are you getting at Thom?" asked Alanna curiously "The wedding papers-the wedding papers need to be signed for the wedding to take place or you can't get married right?" "Right" answered Jon "Well, what if we switch them with some other papers and burn the real ones" "That'll never work Thom, I mean all they have to do is get some more wedding papers and get us to sign them" insisted Alanna "Ah, exactly you have to sign them so what if you couldn't sign them. Let's say, you broke your wrist" "What both wrists?" asked Alanna getting impatiently as the rest of them listened on with interest "No, just the one that you write and fight with" "But I can do that with both, everyone knows that" "Wrong sister, everyone knows Squire Alan can but no one mentioned anything about lady Alanna now did they?" Alanna shook her head, "It's still not going to work Thom, if I break my right wrist, they'll just get me to sign with my left wrist and besides Duke Baird can heal it like that" Alanna clicked her fingers "Wrong again sister, according to law number 557: you may only sign papers with the proper hand you write with or else it is marked as illegal. And as for the healing part of it, I'll make it unhealable that should keep the wedding lagging for some time though it may arise some suspicions but nothing that we can't deal with. Now, let's just hope it's enough time for you to ordeal" Alanna stared at him, deep in thought; suddenly she smiled "You're a genius Thom! This might actually work" Alanna finished off the last of her breakfast and put her fork down, "ok, I'm heading to the practice courts, you's coming?" "Um. Alanna you can't?" said Jon, the tone of his voice clearly sating that he did not want to be there "And why not?" "To put it truthfully ladies don't usually go to the practice courts unless they're watching the pages, squires or knights" Gary explained "Fine then Mister Observant, what do ladies usually do?" asked Alanna annoyed "Well, for a start they-" Alex-smirking-came past them and patted Thom on the shoulder, "Meet me at the practice courts in five minutes, I want to see if I can beat you, you're a fair hand with a sword" As he walked through the crowd-away from them-Thom looked at them confused, "What am I supposed to do?" Alanna signed, looking anxious, remembering the last time they had dueled, "I'll have to change back to Squire Alan" "No, no, you stay as you are, I'll cast a spell on myself so I can actually fence" said Thom "No Thom, he's one of the best fencers at court next to Duke Gareth and he knows my style of fencing too well, if he senses that it's changed suspicions will arise if they haven't already" "What do you mean if they haven't already have?" asked Raoul "I fear that Duke Roger suspects that something is wrong" Alanna kept her eyes down "But what's that got to do with this duel, I mean it's not like he's going to be there" said Gary "You don't understand, the last time I had a duel with him, he almost killed me", Alanna looked up and saw everyone looking at her, she took a deep breath and started to explain everything-including her suspicions that Alex was working for Roger. "I'm going to my room to change back to squire Alan's uniform, Thom cast a spell on yourself or something to make you look like me in other's eyes" Alanna got up and started to walk away and then turned back abruptly and pointed a finger at Thom, "And that includes sorcerers"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
There was a knock on Roger's door "Come in!" he called An old serving man appeared, "Your Grace, there is someone here to see you, she says that you are expecting her" he took a sidestep to divulge a figure in a monk's rough, brown robes (with a hood) A crooked smile crossed Roger's lips, "And that I am, now leave us" he flicked a silver coin towards the serving man "Thank you your Grace" he managed to stammer before stumbling out the door in nervousness Once the door was firmly closed behind him, Roger turned his attention back to figure. She threw down her hood to reveal a mass of glossy, auburn locks reaching down just under her shoulders. She had light, blue eyes and a perfect mouth and nose. You could just notice the shirt and breeches under the robes, where it showed. You could tell she was a beauty but you could also tell that she had an evil side just by looking at her wicked-dancing eyes and slightly twisted smile. Roger smirked, "You are late Cimirone but that can be excused once I become king. Come, we have many plans to discuss"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Hello my loyal-loving fans, I am yet back with another exciting chapter to this story. What is Alex planning? Who is Cimirone? And what the HELL IS Duke Roger up to? Well, you'll find out right after I get 155 reviews and I promise you (unlike the other times) that right after I get 155 reviews, well as soon as I get on the net, I'll upload the next chapter because it's already written. Oh yeah, another thing, when you review plz leave your e-mails for me so I can ask for help when I need it. Special thanx to Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conte, Starfire and Wild Mage for helping me. I know I didn't use any od your ideas in this chapter but they're gonna come in some point in the story. But I totally refuse to have gary fall enough with Alanna, the story complicated enough as it is really.  
  
Hope you liked this chapter, Your ever-faithful author, Lady Lucy ^_^ 


	12. The breakin

A/N: Hey pple! I sorry for last chapter when I said I wanted 155 reviews, I meant 255 reviews so since I made a mistake, I'm uploading this early.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Alanna stepped out of her room dressed in a squire's uniform; she had managed to make her hair shorten with her magic, it was easier then regrowing it all again. She locked her door and sealed it with a strong lock spell to make sure no one could walk in and discover the several squire's uniform which were hidden in a chest at the end of he bed. The spell was one, which normal sorcerers and mages couldn't break through. She had a strong feeling that something... something bad was going to happen this very night. Though what she didn't know and didn't care. And besides it wouldn't work anyway, the only sorcerers and mages who were invited to stay at the palace were the ones whose magic was above the average level so it wouldn't have helped at all to prevent them if they actually wanted to break in. Jon, Gary, Raoul and Thom were waiting for her, Thom-dressed exactly as she was before except something looked different. Alanna made a face "The spell sorta back-fired and I ended up with..." Jon, Gary and Raoul laughed as Thom blushed furiously "With what?" asked Alanna not really understanding Thom blushed a darker shade of red, "With... breasts" he managed to mutter under his breath as Alanna burst out laughing, making her stomach hurt with the impact When Alanna finally managed to control herself, she asked, "So... like... are you trapped with them for the whole of you're life?" Thom frowned-good humouredly-, "Seriously Alanna! You've been stuck with me, or rather I've been stuck with you through our entire childhood. You would think I would be running around half the time, yelling like a mad man if was stuck with these...these things for the rest of my life. No Alanna, I am not stuck with them forever as you so charmingly put it! The spell wears off in 24 hours.well at lest I hope" "Boy am I glad we got that sorted out, well sorta anyway. Think what would happen if rumors spread that my future brother-in-law has breasts" Jon joked though Thom didn't laugh Alanna hit him gently on the arm, "Jon! You are in no way allowed to mention that EVER again, you here me?" Jon just smiled at her while she smiled back Thom scowled, "About that! You still haven't explained Alanna" "Later, for now let's just get to the practice courts, I wanna get this ordeal over with if can even call it that" Alanna signed and walked towards the practice courts with Jon, Gary, Raoul and Thom (wearing an odd expression on his face) following behind her.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The practice courts were always full of people this time of day, servants, pages, squires, knights, ladies (to watch), you named it. Alanna walked in and scanned the room for Alex; he was in a court near the end of the room doing drills. Alanna and company walked over towards him unaware of the spies around them. "Hi Alan, Jon, Raoul, Gary and Lady Alanna" Alex welcomed Alanna, Jon, Gary and Raoul were trying to hide their laughter as they watched the spectacle in front of them-Thom, dressed as a lady, head turned and wincing a Alex looked distastefully at Thom's hand then gathering up his courage, eyes-closed and pecked his hand, let go and looked back at Alanna "Then, shall we begin, or would do you want to do warm-ups first?" Alanna swallowed her laughter, keeping her face straight she replied, "I'll just do some exercises first" she took off her tunic and handed it to Jon then started stretching After Alanna finished her exercises-her body flexible, she took Lightning from Jon and crossed swords with Alex. "Let the combat begin! Guard!" Jon ordered Alanna and Alex circled, waiting for the other to make a move, when Alanna kept circling; Alex got impatient and swung his sword with blinding speed and met Lightning with a clear ring. They broke apart and circled again, Alanna lunged at him, he blocked and then swung his sword up and down in intending to win with strength rather than skill. Alanna blocked and came in body-to-body, which was what Alex wanted all along. He put all his strength into the sword and forced her down. Alanna withdrew Lightning and rolled away just missing getting cut by Alex's blade. She quickly stood up as Alex lunged at her, Alanna dodged and brought Lightning up and around in a butterfly sweep. Alex stepped back and tried a side-swing catching Alanna off guard. She quickly thrust Lightning to the side, blocking his blade. Alanna swung her sword up, around and in, catching his hilt and yanking it from his hand. "I yield" Alex smiled, "I guess you're still the best but I'm not giving up just yet" He then walked out of the room without so much as a wave "That was strange, it seemed as if he didn't want to be our friends anymore" commented Raoul frowning "Yeah I know," agreed Gary, brows furrowed "Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm going to my room to soak and get changed" said Alanna and headed off to her rooms "Ok, we'll meet you at the mess hall for lunch after" said Jon as he, Gary, Raoul and Thom started to walk in the opposite direction "Wait a second Thom"Alanna shouted after them They turned around, "What?" "So like am I still dressing up as Squire Alan since you're dressed as well... me?" "Oh yeah, about that, no don't worry about it. I'll just go back to your room and get changed, I'll bound my eh... newfound chest so I'll just look like any other boy-I hope!" Thom walked towards Squire Alan's room as Alanna-followed by Gary, Raoul and Jon headed for lady Alanna's room  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Alanna took a small, shiny key from her breeches pocket and unlocked the door to her room. She turned the handle and found the door open. Her brow creased slightly, deep in thought, then she shrugged and walked into the room, Jon, Gary and Raoul walked in after her. They sat on the couch as Alanna just stood there, frowning. "Alanna, what's the matter?" asked Jon concerned "Someone's been here" "What?" exclaimed Jon, Gary and Raoul "Close your eyes and concentrate" Alanna told Jon There was a silence for a minute then Jon's eyelids flicked open, "You're right, someone has been here. I can sense their magic lingering in the air, they left not long ago, the trail is still fresh" "They broke through my lock spell that I cast. Someone knew that I wasn't going to be in my room" "But who?" asked Jon more to himself then to the others Suddenly, Thom burst into the room and by the look on his face, he was not happy, "Someone broke into my room!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sorry, I have to stop it here, I'm late for school! 270 reviews and I upload! 


	13. Together Forever

A/N: Just for those who think I live in America, I DO NOT LIVE IN AMERICA, I LIVE IN AUSTRALIA!!! And it is not summer here, it is in the middle of f****** winter. And we have school!!!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Someone broke into mine too, was anything missing?" asked Alanna, starting to look about if the mysterious person stole anything  
  
"No but you can tell by the magic in the atmosphere that they thoroughly looked through everything and it looks like they did the same to your room" Thom looked disturbed  
  
"Did they...?" asked Alanna anxiously, Thom nodded. Alanna's knees wobbled and gave way, luckily Jon caught her just in time and sat her down  
  
"What's the matter?" questioned Jon, a worried frown on his face  
  
Alanna was too shocked to answer so Thom stepped in, "They found the chests in out rooms with dresses in Alan's and squire's uniform in here. Naturally, they're apprehensive. We need to keep a low profile and be on guard for anything suspicious. Our major priority now is not the betrothal- which is hard to believe-but who broke into our rooms and I have a pretty educated guess who did it"  
  
"Roger" they all chorused  
  
"We better check out what he's up to and quick or he might find out about our secret. But I'll make a bet that he's trying to work out right now"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Knock knock  
  
"Come in" called Roger from his desk  
  
The door opened as Cimirone strode in, her auburn locks braided into a neat plait at the back of her head. She wore light brown breeches and a cream shirt  
  
"Your grace" she bowed slightly  
  
Roger smirked "I take it that you have done what I have asked?"  
  
"Yes and I have found out a number of unusual things"  
  
Roger gestured towards a chair, "Do tell"  
  
"Most things in their room, a normal lady or squire with a strong gift would have, there is nothing peculiar about that but I found a chest at the end of each of their beds heavily guarded with lock spells" Cimirone stopped, eyes sparkling then continued, "In the chest at the end of Lady Alanna's bed, there are a number of squire's uniforms that look like they have been worn recently. In the chest at the end of Squire Alan's bed, there are a number of dresses and stockings, one of which I have seen Lady Alanna wear"  
  
Roger got up and paced the room, "Interesting. very good Cimirone but your job hasn't finished just yet. Both Lady Alanna and Squire Alan have powerful gifts so no doubt they would know that someone has broken into their rooms. I'm not sure about Lady Alanna but if she's anything like that meddlesome brother of hers then they'll keep their eyes out for suspicious people, mainly me. There is a ball tonight and on the queen's wishes, it's to be held in the Royal Palace Gardens by the light of the moon. Now. Lady Alanna isn't one for court attention so she, Alan, my cousin and their friends should be somewhere away from the crowd which is an ideal place for you to hide in the shadows and spy on them, I want you to report any suspicious talk. Report to me after the ball. It starts at moonrise, which is in two hours time. Now leave me to my thoughts"  
  
"Yes your Grace, I will not fail you like that Lady Delia"  
  
"Make certain you don't," said Roger coldly  
  
Cimirone bowed and left. Roger fingered his short beard and smirked  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
~In the Gardens  
  
Evening saw Alanna dressed in a short-sleeved, crimson, velvet-silk dress with a gold-stranded shawl. The dress was trimmed with thickly twisted gold thread and layered with petty coats. Her hair was braided into a thick plait with gold twine weaved into it making it look exquisite. By now, Alanna was use to the idea of face paint though she still refused to put on more than some lip rouge and eye shadow.  
  
Alanna and Jon talked with Gary, Raoul and Thom for a while before they decided to have some privacy. They found a quite isolated bench away from the noise and chatter. Jon put his arm around Alanna as she snuggled closer to him. There was a comfortable silence between them as they watched the stars, content to just be with one another.  
  
After a while, Jon broke the silence, "What do you intend to do about the betrothal?"  
  
Alanna signed, "Try to hold off the wedding for as long as possible so I can get my shield and then hopefully they'll cancel the wedding"  
  
"What if they don't? What if we can never be together? What would you do then?" Alanna could feel him trembling  
  
She turned around so she was facing him; he had tears in his eyes.  
  
"Well, then I'll run away. But the question is what would you do?" Alanna asked, wiping away tears from his eyes, she could feel her own eyes welling up with tears  
  
Jon covered her hand with his, "I love you Alanna, I love you with all my heart, I'll love you for all eternity. And 'when you ask me what would I do?' well. isn't the answer obvious, I'll runaway with you" Jon placed his right hand over his heart, "From this day I vow to you Alanna of Trebond, where you go, I go, where you stay, I stay, we go together, always together."  
  
"Forever together" they vowed  
  
Suddenly, Alanna could hold the tears inside her no longer; she buried her face in the crook of Jon's shoulder as he held her. After a few minutes, Alanna looked up, Jon wiped away the tears and kissed her furiously as Alanna returned it. They just sat there kissing for a while, feeling the heat rush through them, before breaking apart and joining the rest of the party.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Cimirone quietly sneaked out of the shadows and headed for Roger's quarters. She opened the door with a creek. No light was on; Roger was in the back room.  
  
"Cimirone?" came a deep voice from behind the door  
  
"Yes I am here"  
  
"Come in"  
  
Cimirone walked across the main room and into the secret back room. Roger was at his desk testing spells and potions, he gestured towards a chair, which Cimirone took gratefully.  
  
"I trust it went well?" asked the duke not looking up from his papers  
  
"It went very well" assured Cimirone  
  
"It had better, now enlighten me with your report" commanded Roger putting down his spell book and turning his attention to Cimirone  
  
Cimirone explained how she had seen Jon and Alanna cuddled together on a bench kissing. Roger fiddled with his short black beard, smiling evilly.  
  
"So lady Alanna is betrothed to Gary but is in love with my good-for- nothing cousin, I wonder how this will sound if it gets into court gossip, continue," insisted Roger  
  
Cimirone then went on to tell him about what she had heard them say.  
  
"Very interesting, them wanting to stop the wedding is understandable since they are in love but what did lady Alanna mean when she said 'so I can get my shield', what's she talking about? That needs thinking. And you say that Jon vowed to Alanna that he'll go wherever Alanna goes?" asked Roger starting to smile  
  
"Yes"  
  
"That's just given me an idea. Cimirone, I want you to dress up as a lady and attend every ball from now on and try to get as close as possible to becoming friends with Alanna of Trebond, make sure she puts full trust into you, understand?"  
  
"That is unacceptable! You hired me as a an 'assassin mage' and that is what I am here for! Not to dress up in lace and frill! You promised me action!"  
  
"Don't you take that tone with me Cimirone!" Roger's face turned softer, "Do not worry my dear, the action is yet to come, there will be lots of it. For now just do as I ask and you shall be rewarded greatly"  
  
Cimirone signed, "Yes your grace" she quickly bowed and was out of the room in mere seconds  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Oooooo! This is getting good! Hehe. And some peeps have asked me when I'm going to upload 'First Loves' well that depends, first I'm going to have to write it, don't I? And I think I'll rewrite the 11th chapter, I dun like it.  
  
Oh yeah, Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conte, I know that you told me to forget it, but you wrote it in your e-mail so you must mean something by it and looking over it now, I've decided that it's the only sane idea there is (of course, I am INSANE), that's why I'm gonna get Alanna KIDNAPPED!!!  
  
MAWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! 


	14. Lady Cimirone of Seaglant

A/N: Ok ppl I'm back! This chapter is pretty much pointless, I'm just writing it for the shake of uploading but I promise you dat da next few chaps I'll try to put more effort into.  
  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
The ball the following evening~  
  
"Lady Cimirone of Seaglant" announced the herald as the doors opened and Cimirone stepped into the light of the ballroom, feeling every pair of eyes on her.  
  
She wore a baby blue dress with silver lining and white petticoats that showed where the skirt opened up. The blue, transparent sleeves drooped from the shoulder blades all the way down to the elbows where they started to open up. Her glossy red-brown locks were pulled back into a tight bun with a few curls framing her face. Cimirone had a band across her forehead, plaited from blue and silver leather strips; it was all in the latest fashion at court.  
  
She daintily walked down the stairs, scrunching her dress up in both hands, careful not to trip over. At the end of the stairs Raoul offered his arm, which she took and walked with him to his group of friends near a corner of the ballroom.  
  
"Sir. Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peek at your service" Raoul bowed, "And this is Prince Jonathan, heir to the throne of Tortall, Lady Alanna and her twin brother, Squire Thom of Trebond and Sir. Gareth, the younger of Naxen"  
  
"Charmed, I'm sure" Cimirone did a graceful curtsy and smiled  
  
"Lady Cimirone, would you like to dance?"  
  
"Pleasure" she said as she took to the dance floor with Raoul  
  
"So. what do you think?" asked Jon evilly after they were out of hearing  
  
"He's fallen for her," answered Alanna with bitter amusement  
  
"No, I meant the way he handled it so none of us could get a word in" Alanna looked at Jon strangely from the corner of her eyes, "Don't tell me you taught him that?"  
  
Jon breathed in and thumped his chest twice proudly (A/N: I know, a rather Neal like thing to do, been reading way too much Kel fics. lately) Alanna smiled grimly and poked him in the ribs-hard.  
  
Jon doubled over, "Awww, Lanna, why did you have to go and ruin that moment, it was one of my better poses" complained Jon as they burst out laughing  
  
"If that was one of your better poses, I'd hate to see one of your worser ones" said Alanna, good humidly, rolling her eyes  
  
"Enough of that, now let's back to what we were saying before. Would you give me the honor of accepting this dance?" asked Jon  
  
Alanna looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "No. But just to save your reputation, I guess I'll do it for the sake of love and to prove to everyone that I'm not going soft" said Alanna and she walked to the middle of the ballroom, muttering something about 'the many sacrifices one gives for love'  
  
Thom looked after them strangely, "I am seriously wondering if she is going soft. You know Gary, she still hasn't explained yet about their 'relationship' and I doubt that she will. I'm sure you can spare me some time and enlighten me with the next chapter of Romeo and Juliet (A/N: I know it hasn't been written yet but who gives a damn?)"  
  
"Well, my friend" Gary started putting his arm on Thom's shoulder and leading him into a quite corner so they could talk, "It all started like this."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
A couple of dances later~  
  
Alanna and Jon sat with Lady Cimirone and Raoul, each with a glass in their hands (A/N: weird, I know), chatting. Across the other side of the ballroom, they could see Thom with a scowl on his face as he listened to Gary blabber on about what happened with Jon and Alanna. Since he didn't know the full story, he was making half of it up, little did he know how bad a tongue-lashing he would get from Alanna later on.  
  
Jon and Raoul left their seats to refill their glasses and get some fresh air, leaving Alanna and Cimirone together to chat.  
  
"So Cimirone, how do you like it at court?" asked Alanna, desperate to start a conversation  
  
"Oh it's not bad but tell me, do noble ladies do any fighting arts?" asked Cimirone  
  
Alanna's face suddenly broke out into a smile as she and Cimirone quickly became friends and started blabbing about which weapons had more advantages in different situations.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
A while later, Jon finally dragged Alanna away from her intense conversation with Cimirone which they were quite enjoying.  
  
Once Alanna was out of sight, Roger walked over, sitting himself in the seat that Alanna had occupied just seconds ago.  
  
"Quite an entrance you made tonight, now tell me how did your conversation with the Trebond girl go?" asked Roger  
  
"Reasonably well sire, she's actually not all that bad once you get to know her, and get this, she can fight"  
  
"The girl can fight heh? Quite a rarity these days for noble girls to learn the arts. Something is undeniably distraught about that. Anyway keep a close eye on her but don't get too cozy. after all you are going to be the one who kills her in the end" Roger smiled and walked away.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning Alanna was woken by the sound of yelling from the room next door, she looked around and realized that she was in her squire chambers. Suddenly her left temple started to throb as she remembered what had happened last night. She had gotten seriously drunk and ended up going to her squire's chamber instead of her lady's chamber. No wonder she had such a bad hangover. Alanna put her hand on her head as purple light poured out and diminished her headache.  
  
She could now hear clearly and realized that the sound next door was Thom screaming in Jon's room. Alanna quickly got dressed and yanked the door open between their rooms to see what was going on.  
  
Thom was running around screaming like a mad man while Jon, Gary and Raoul had their heads in their hands and-by the looks of it-trying to smother their laughter.  
  
Alanna blocked her ears and walked up to Jon, "Don't tell me, the spell didn't wear off?" she asked as Jon just nodded.  
  
Alanna sighed, "Thom stop running around and screaming like a mad man so we can try to help you" When Thom just continued doing so, Alanna got impatient and with a snap of her fingers, his voice was gone.  
  
Thom suddenly stopped in the middle of the room and glared daggers at Alanna and she glared back.  
  
"Now, you gonna listen or not?" Alanna asked tapping her feat on the ground  
  
Thom just glared  
  
"I don't get it, isn't he supposed to be really good at this stuff since he learned magic with the Mithran Cloisters? Can't he just snap his fingers and be gone with whatever spell you put on him?" asked Raoul curiously  
  
Alanna sighed, "He can't undo a spell that I put on him, only the person who put it on can take it off unless they have a focus, an item they possess or rather possessed" she snapped her fingers and Thom got his voice back  
  
"Very funny sister. Anyway I don't see how you can help, I've tried just about every single spell and potion I ever learnt but nothing seems to work," stated Thom annoyed  
  
"Well lets see, maybe it has to do with the fact that TIME'S NOT UP YET! Duh! Remember you conjured the spell around 9:30, now is 25 past. Wait five minutes if the spell doesn't wear off, you can start yelling at me again, agreed?"  
  
Thom made a face but when he felt his chest swelling down bit by bit and by the time the five minutes was up, he was completely back to normal. When he looked up he saw the look on his sister's face, which demanded an apology.  
  
"Ok, ok so you were right and I was wrong, I admit it so would you stop glaring daggers at me?" asked Thom  
  
Suddenly, the door opened from the next door as Faithful, tail up above him came striding in.  
  
"And where have you been all night?" demanded Alanna, hand s on her hips  
  
Out answered the cat licking his paws  
  
"Uh huh" Alanna opened the adjoining door and looked into her room, then turned back and eyed the cat, "Where are the goldfish I needed for my lady's chambers to make it look girly?"  
  
Oh sure! Blame the cat! Everyone stared at him Ok so I ate them? I was hungry, you were drunk last night and forgot to feed me, is it my fault that you forgot to feed your cute, adorable kitty?  
  
Alanna scowled but eventually joined in the laughing.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sorry, I didn't upload sooner; it would have been out a couple of weeks ago. I was half way through writing it and I accidentally deleted it cuz it was really late and I was tired and I wasn't really paying attention. I got really pissed with my computer and didn't try to retype the whole thing again until the school holidays a week ago.  
  
Oh yeah, now I can tease you cuz I'm on holidays an' ur not! Are u? If ur still on holidays, den pay no attention to dis note, I jus wrecked myself.  
  
And wit da kidnapping thing dat I mentioned, that won't happen until da last few chapters so happy waiting!  
  
^_^ Lady Lucy A/J 4ever ^_^ 


	15. The Stealing

A/N: Hey guys! I know I haven't uploaded for AGES! And I'm really, really (x100) sorry for keeping you waiting and everything. But that's enough of me talking, here's the next chapter.  
  
Oh another thing, there isn't any fluff in this chapter, it's just basically about.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Ouch! Hey watch it!" exclaimed Raoul  
  
"Sorry"  
  
"Ow! Yeah watch it Gary!"  
  
"Oh, sorry Jon, didn't see you there, hehe"  
  
Jon scowled, "So Alanna, remind me again why we're doing this?"  
  
"To get the official betrothal papers so we can delay the wedding, how many times have I told you? Ok, there's a bit of a step here so don't trip over it" added Alanna who was leading the way  
  
"A what?" asked Gary "Whoaaaaa!"  
  
*BOOM*  
  
"Gary!" they all shouted in unison as he knocked them over  
  
"Sorry, can someone please light a candle, my eye-sight is a bit poor in the dark?"  
  
"Not to mention you're brain" muttered Alanna as she sent her gift to light the nearest stick of candles as the room blazed a deep shade of violet.  
  
Jon sniffed haughtily, "show-off!"  
  
Alanna stuck her tongue out at him and walked over to the desk, rampaging through the papers. After a moment, the others walked over and followed suit  
  
It was around two in the morning when Alanna, Jon, Gary and Raoul were in Duke Gareth's office looking for the betrothal papers to delay the wedding so that she could take her ordeal, reveal to everyone that she was a girl and 'hopefully' cancel the wedding. So far, they weren't having much luck.  
  
"Anything?" asked Alanna hopefully  
  
"Nope"  
  
Alanna sighed, "Ok, Jon, search the cabinets, Raoul, the shelves and Gary, just sit down and try not to wreck anything.please for all our sakes"  
  
Gary grumbled, "fine" and sat down in his father's massive Oakwood chair  
  
Alanna looked around the room, wondering what she could do, then her eyes locked on the drawers of the desk. There were three on each side of all sizes, four of which were locked.  
  
Alanna tried the unlocked ones first, she doubted it would be in there but there was no fault in trying. As she had thought, it wasn't in there. So she turned to the locked ones, looking at the size of the lock, Alanna took a pin from her hair and after several attempts managed to unlock it. She tried three of the four drawers and was up to her last one; desperately hoping it would be in there. There was nothing in the three drawers that she had checked other than diplomatic papers, a few odd scraps, couple of gold nobles and some left-over of yesterday's lunch that Duke Gareth had no doubt forgotten to throw away.  
  
With a click, Alanna unlocked the last drawer and looked in, there were a few dozen papers all over the place, a couple of inkpots and some ruined quills. Alanna felt someone behind her and turned around to find Jon looking over her shoulder, apparently with a frown of disappointment which could only mean he did not find anything either.  
  
"Nothing?" Alanna asked  
  
"Other than records, no. What about you?" questioned Jonathan  
  
"So far, nothing, this is the last drawer. What about Raoul, any luck?"  
  
"Nope, he's given up and taken to putting back all the things he practically threw over his shoulder" Jon grinned as he looked over at Raoul frantically trying to remember what goes where  
  
Alanna shook her head and smiled, then turned her attention back to the drawer that she was currently rampaging. She stuck her arm down the drawer, past the papers, inks and quills, trying to feel the bottom of the drawer. Surprisingly, it was very shallow, much more so than it actually looked. Alanna frowned, something was not right here.  
  
"Jon help me take out all this stuff, something's not right with the drawer"  
  
"Ok, if you say so" then kneeled down on the floor and took everything out of the drawer  
  
The bottom was lined with red velvet that looked extremely suspicious. Alanna took out the piece of cloth and glared at the wooden plank. Jon knelt beside her, staring at her, he had no way of knowing what was going on inside her head but he knew her well enough to know that she had something up her sleeve. Alanna tentively knocked on the wooden plank. Just as she thought, it was hollow. She reached down and took out the plank to reveal another layer under that, packed with scrolls.  
  
Jon goggled at her  
  
Alanna smiled, "I was always good at puzzles, now help me go through them all. It's bound to be in here somewhere, I'll be damned if it isn't'' She then looked over the desk to see Gary helping Raoul put back all the papers. "Gary, Raoul! Come here! I think we've found where the paper is"  
  
They rampaged through the scrolls for what seemed like hours. Until finally Alanna made a triumphant sound and held up the papers they were looking for.  
  
Grinning broadly she rolled up the scroll again and tucked it in her tunic. "Ok, we've found the scroll, now all we have to do is put everything back in its place and we're out of here" They all looked around at the humongous mess they had all made and grimaced. Then tentively reached out for things and put them back in their place.  
  
It was probably a very long while later that Alanna grabbed the last inkbottle that had been scattered carelessly about in their mad pursuit to retrieve the betrothal scrolls and put it in the drawer, locked it and let out a sigh of relief. And not a moment too late either.  
  
".I'll be right there Timon." came a booming voice from down the corridor that no doubt belonged to Duke Gareth as he walked towards the study in which they were all in  
  
Alanna gulped, "oh shit!" then turned to glare at Gary  
  
He bit his lower lip, looking nervous, cowering under Alanna's furious gaze as he fiddled with his fingers. "Did I fail to mention that he gets up an hour before dawn?"  
  
Raoul, Jon and Alanna looked as if to kill but quickly rethought that as they heard Duke Gareth's footstep coming closer and closer. They quickly hid under the massive Oakwood desk, praying to Mithros that they wouldn't be caught in the act. If the situation wasn't so serious, they may have laughed at what they would have looked like if Duke Gareth caught them.  
  
The door of the study opened and Duke Gareth walked in. He strolled straight to his great Oakwood chair that Gary had been occupying a few minutes ago and sat down in front of his desk. The room under the desk was extremely squashy considering that three considerable giants and Alanna were hiding beneath it. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn that she could hear her friends' sweat drop in the silence.  
  
Duke Gareth stretched his feet (that were in furry pink bunny slippers might I add) under the table, just missing kicking Jonathan in the nose. It seemed that the Duke of Naxen was still dressed in his red and gold brocade dressing gown and had just gotten up from bed. Alanna, Jon, Raoul and Gary stifled their laughter at his bunny slippers, eyes watering as they tried not to make a sound. They pinched their noses at the foul smell that came from his feet, trying not to choke. Alanna, Jon, Raoul and Gary respected Duke Gareth greatly but after this. little incident, they would never see him in the same light again.  
  
He shuffled some papers on the desk and then got up, heading towards the door. Alanna, Jon, Raoul and Gary all let out a sigh of relief, but a little bit too soon. Duke Gareth's footsteps suddenly ceased in the middle of the room as he turned around. They could feel his eyes boring into them from behind through the layer of wood of the desk. He started to slowly walk back towards the desk. Alanna's heart was pounding so fast that she could have sworn Duke Gareth would hear it. The others silently prayed to Mithros and the Great Mother Goddess, promising good behavior for the rest of their lives if they would just spare them.  
  
Abruptly running was heard down the corridor as the door to the study was thrown open. "Your Grace, have you got the papers? You must get dressed quickly for the meeting. The king does not like to be kept waiting sir." Came the voice of the person at the door, which was undeniably Timon's  
  
"Yes, yes, you're quite right Timon, I'll be right there"  
  
Although Alanna, Jon, Raoul and Gary could not see him, they could practically feel his eyes turn back to them as if they had the sixth sense.  
  
"Funny" Duke Gareth whispered quietly to himself, "I could have sworn I heard something" then turned around and went out the door.  
  
A moment of silent relief past through the room. It was a couple of minutes before anyone spoke again.  
  
"That was close," commented Jon  
  
"Too close" added Alanna as they slowly crept out of their hiding place, tiptoed out the door and back to their rooms.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Yep, I'm back again! Well, its more or so over it's the holidays again (in Aus anyway) and I actually have time to write. WHOOHOO!!! High school sucks, does everyone agree with me here? Especially at the beginning and end of the year, there's just too much homework. I don't get how you guys get the chance to write all those chapters *sigh*  
  
By the way, I looking to start a new section in ff.net with Isobelle Carmody books so if anyone would like to join me, please review and tell me or email me at ladylucy16@hotmail.com, thank you!  
  
Oh yeah, one more thing, I'm leaving Faithful out from now on, pretend nothing happened. Cuz I can't be stuffed writing him in, I keep forgetting since he sort of dies in LR and you know.  
  
Review replies:  
  
Killene: Thank you! *blushes slightly*  
  
StarFire: You live in England? Wow, I thought you lived in the US or something since that's where most ppl on ff.net live, where abouts? I live in Melbourne, Victoria. Where do Angel-goddess and karly_ann134 live?  
  
bblond07: Thanx, I'm trying to add as much as possible cuz in a few chaps, the fic is gonna finish so that will like be my first finished fic since I sort of left the others half way through *smilez sheepishly*  
  
Anne Boleyn: Thanx, when r u gonna update ur fic?  
  
Queen of Fluff: Sorry bout the lack of fluff, but I promise I'll try to add some next chap. Yeah but seriously, I couldn't really add it here, what Alanna and Jon caught kissing under the desk? *second thoughts*. ok, ok, should've known that you probably would of done that *lol*  
  
Chopstix*: Thank you, in my own personal opinion, I'm kinda getting sick of this story, that's why I'm tryin to finish it off as quickly as I can. But if you people like it, then that kind of makes me feel happy too. *happy smile*  
  
Clarylissa: Yeah, I found that part incredibly funny too, don't worry, Cimirone doesn't stay that evil for long, she's kinda turning soft as she gets to know Alanna but I can't spill all  
  
Chiriku: Thank you, you people are so nice.  
  
Crystalline Lily: Thanx, you sound very much like a detective when you say that *lol*  
  
Zoe: Ok, I'll try to upload as much as I can cuz I wanna finish this fic off  
  
stargirl2004: Thanx, I know there wasn't that much Alanna and Jon parts this chap (actually there wasn't any to be precise) but I'll try to add some next chap  
  
SaZzA: That's ok, thanx  
  
Cherry-Alanna: Thanx, I know, I know, I'm tryin to think up some new ideas for First Loves but I'm currently having a writers block. A very long writers block that's been going on for nearly a year but I just can't seem to get any ideas. (  
  
BerryBooks: Yeah someone's gonna die alright but I'm not telling who so you'll just have to wait and see, *I am wicked* MUWAHAHAHA  
  
Devilkitti8: Sorry, I'm really really sorry bout that. It's not so much the writers block or the number of reviews cuz I've got enough to keep me happy for the rest of my life (not that I'm complaining) it's more over the homework, we get tones and tones. The only reason I get time to write this is because it's the skool holidays here  
  
Reaya: Thanx, I luvvv ur stories as well, every sigle one of them so you gotta update soon!  
  
hyperchick88: Thank you. I'm just taking a short break although, the fic will probably be finished in about 4-5 chaps I think. But that's probably gonna take a while for me to write so it won't finish that quickly *smilez*  
  
That's all for now guys! Cya next time!  
  
Lady Lucy A/J 4ever ^^ 


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